Search results for "Efficient active" in Home Design Ideas

Whether it’s arthritis, joint or back pain, restless leg syndrome, muscle injuries or fibromyalgia, hot tubs are a proven form of chronic pain relief. The heat of the water increases blood flow and relaxes the body, while the massaging action of the jets and the water’s buoyancy loosen muscle tension and soothe sore joints.
The New England Journal of Medicine (08-16-1999) found that, after just 10 days, patients with Type 2 Diabetes who used hot tubs 30 minutes a day/6 days per week required reduced doses of insulin, lost weight, slept better and showed distinct decreases in plasma glucose and glycosylated hemoglobin.
Hot tubs can be a great fix for those suffering from insomnia, helping your body to wind down before bed and get the natural sleep you need. Even if you don’t suffer from chronic sleep problems, the Better Sleep Council recommends establishing a relaxing bedtime routine, such as soaking in hot water to help maintain a healthy sleep cycle. According to the Council’s findings, warm water releases muscle tension and increases blood flow, both of which contribute to a relaxed and deeper, more comfortable sleep.
Whether it’s a new exercise routine or an unusually active day on your feet, most of us know the “day after” feeling of sore, overworked muscles that make it hurt to move, period. The water pressure from hot tub jets relieves muscle tightness and soreness by removing lactic acid, opening up the blood vessels and promoting the flow of endorphins. LPGA Sports Medicine Director Caroline Nichols and former President of the American Orthopedic Society of Sports Medicine Dr. James Andrews recommend hydrotherapeutic activity for athletes at every level. Nichols says that hot tubs especially help with recovery since jets focus on overused muscle and joint regions, while Andrews supports hydrotherapy as a good tool for improved circulation, sensory impulses and stiff joints.
Whether you’re looking to alleviate stress, feel healthier or simply spend more time with your loved ones, you’d be amazed at how as little as 10 minutes in a hot tub can help you relax and put everything in perspective. There are hot tubs for every type of user, regardless of whether it’s just you or it’s the entire gang piling in, looking for some much-needed relief after a long day.

This beautiful modern farmhouse home was designed by MossCreek to be the perfect combination of style, an active lifestyle, and efficient living. Featuring well-sized and functional living areas, an attached garage, expansive outdoor living areas, and cutting edge modern design elements, the Dulcimer by MossCreek is an outstanding example of contemporary home design.

Split Level 1970 home of a young and active family of four. The main public spaces in this home were remodeled to create a fresh, clean look.
The Jack + Mare demo'd the kitchen and dining room down to studs and removed the wall between the kitchen/dining and living room to create an open concept space with a clean and fresh new kitchen and dining with ample storage. Now the family can all be together and enjoy one another's company even if mom or dad is busy in the kitchen prepping the next meal.
The custom white cabinets and the blue accent island (and walls) really give a nice clean and fun feel to the space. The island has a gorgeous local solid slab of wood on top. A local artisan salvaged and milled up the big leaf maple for this project. In fact, the tree was from the University of Portland's campus located right where the client once rode the bus to school when she was a child. So it's an extra special custom piece! (fun fact: there is a bullet lodged in the wood that is visible...we estimate it was shot into the tree 30-35 years ago!)
The 'public' spaces were given a brand new waterproof luxury vinyl wide plank tile. With 2 young daughters, a large golden retriever and elderly cat, the durable floor was a must.
project scope at quick glance:
- demo'd and rebuild kitchen and dining room.
- removed wall separating kitchen/dining and living room
- removed carpet and installed new flooring in public spaces
- removed stair carpet and gave fresh black and white paint
- painted all public spaces
- new hallway doorknob harware
- all new LED lighting (kitchen, dining, living room and hallway)
Jason Quigley Photography
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This second-story addition to an already 'picture perfect' Naples home presented many challenges. The main tension between adding the many 'must haves' the client wanted on their second floor, but at the same time not overwhelming the first floor. Working with David Benner of Safety Harbor Builders was key in the design and construction process – keeping the critical aesthetic elements in check. The owners were very 'detail oriented' and actively involved throughout the process. The result was adding 924 sq ft to the 1,600 sq ft home, with the addition of a large Bonus/Game Room, Guest Suite, 1-1/2 Baths and Laundry. But most importantly — the second floor is in complete harmony with the first, it looks as it was always meant to be that way.
©Energy Smart Home Plans, Safety Harbor Builders, Glenn Hettinger Photography

Klopf Architecture and Outer space Landscape Architects designed a new warm, modern, open, indoor-outdoor home in Los Altos, California. Inspired by mid-century modern homes but looking for something completely new and custom, the owners, a couple with two children, bought an older ranch style home with the intention of replacing it.
Created on a grid, the house is designed to be at rest with differentiated spaces for activities; living, playing, cooking, dining and a piano space. The low-sloping gable roof over the great room brings a grand feeling to the space. The clerestory windows at the high sloping roof make the grand space light and airy.
Upon entering the house, an open atrium entry in the middle of the house provides light and nature to the great room. The Heath tile wall at the back of the atrium blocks direct view of the rear yard from the entry door for privacy.
The bedrooms, bathrooms, play room and the sitting room are under flat wing-like roofs that balance on either side of the low sloping gable roof of the main space. Large sliding glass panels and pocketing glass doors foster openness to the front and back yards. In the front there is a fenced-in play space connected to the play room, creating an indoor-outdoor play space that could change in use over the years. The play room can also be closed off from the great room with a large pocketing door. In the rear, everything opens up to a deck overlooking a pool where the family can come together outdoors.
Wood siding travels from exterior to interior, accentuating the indoor-outdoor nature of the house. Where the exterior siding doesn’t come inside, a palette of white oak floors, white walls, walnut cabinetry, and dark window frames ties all the spaces together to create a uniform feeling and flow throughout the house. The custom cabinetry matches the minimal joinery of the rest of the house, a trim-less, minimal appearance. Wood siding was mitered in the corners, including where siding meets the interior drywall. Wall materials were held up off the floor with a minimal reveal. This tight detailing gives a sense of cleanliness to the house.
The garage door of the house is completely flush and of the same material as the garage wall, de-emphasizing the garage door and making the street presentation of the house kinder to the neighborhood.
The house is akin to a custom, modern-day Eichler home in many ways. Inspired by mid-century modern homes with today’s materials, approaches, standards, and technologies. The goals were to create an indoor-outdoor home that was energy-efficient, light and flexible for young children to grow. This 3,000 square foot, 3 bedroom, 2.5 bathroom new house is located in Los Altos in the heart of the Silicon Valley.
Klopf Architecture Project Team: John Klopf, AIA, and Chuang-Ming Liu
Landscape Architect: Outer space Landscape Architects
Structural Engineer: ZFA Structural Engineers
Staging: Da Lusso Design
Photography ©2018 Mariko Reed
Location: Los Altos, CA
Year completed: 2017

When you first walk into this dressing room, it’s the lighting that jumps out at you first. Each shelf is illuminated to show the brilliant colors and texture of the clothing. Light even pours through the big windows and draws your eye across the rooftops of Brooklyn to see the NYC skyline. It creates a feeling of brightness and positivity that energizes and enlivens. It’s a dressing room where you can look and feel your best as you begin your day.
Featured in a modern Italian Melamine and tastefully accented with complementing Matte Nickel hardware and Clear Acrylic handle pulls, this Chic Brooklyn Dressing Room proves to be not only stylish, but functional too.
This custom closet combines both high and low hanging sections, which afford you enough room to organize items based on size. This type of mechanism offers more depth than a standard hanging system.
The open shelving offers a substantial amount of depth, so you have plenty of space to personalize your room with mementos, collectibles and home decor. Adjustable shelves also give you the freedom to store items of all sizes from large shoe and boot boxes to smaller collectibles and scarves.
A functional key to closet design is being able to visualize and conveniently access items. There’s also something very appealing about having your items neatly displayed - especially when it comes to shoes. Our wide shoe shelves were purposely installed on a slant for easy access, allowing you to identify and grab your favorite footwear quickly and easily.
A spacious center island provides a place to relax while spreading out accessories and visualizing more possibilities. This center island was designed with extra drawer storage that includes a velvet lined jewelry drawer. Double jewelry drawers can add a sleek and useful dimension to any dressing room. An organized system will prevent tarnishing and with a designated spot for every piece, your jewelry stays organized and in perfect condition.
The space is maximized with smart storage features like an Elite Belt Rack and hook as well as Elite Valet Rods and a pull-out mirror. The unit also includes a Deluxe Pant Rack in a Matte Nickel finish. Thanks to the full-extension ball-bearing slides, everything is in complete view. This means you no longer have to waste time desperately hunting for something you know is hiding somewhere in your closet.
Lighting played a huge role in the design of this dressing room. In order to make the contents of the closet fully visible, we integrated a combination of energy efficient lighting options, including LED strip lights and touch dimmers as well as under-mounted shelf lights and sensor activated drawer lights. Efficient lighting options will put your wardrobe in full view early in the mornings and in the evenings when dressing rooms are used most.
Dressing rooms act as a personal sanctuary for mixing and matching the perfect ensemble. Your closet should cater to your personal needs, whether it’s top shelving or extra boot and hat storage. A well designed space can make dressing much easier - even on rushed mornings.

This second-story addition to an already 'picture perfect' Naples home presented many challenges. The main tension between adding the many 'must haves' the client wanted on their second floor, but at the same time not overwhelming the first floor. Working with David Benner of Safety Harbor Builders was key in the design and construction process – keeping the critical aesthetic elements in check. The owners were very 'detail oriented' and actively involved throughout the process. The result was adding 924 sq ft to the 1,600 sq ft home, with the addition of a large Bonus/Game Room, Guest Suite, 1-1/2 Baths and Laundry. But most importantly — the second floor is in complete harmony with the first, it looks as it was always meant to be that way.
©Energy Smart Home Plans, Safety Harbor Builders, Glenn Hettinger Photography

Our homeowners purchased this home for its excellent location and great bones. They were desirous of returning it to the era of it’s time while updating and modernizing it with the elegance it deserved. To add to our challenges, they were living out of the country during our design and renovation, making for great communications utilizing modern technology to ensure we could deliver what they hoped to achieve. We opened some space in the kitchen to create an updated and more functional kitchen for this active family, relocating appliances for efficiency, adding an island and relocating a chimney. We had structural challenges with the sagging hardwood floors, which required us to reframe floor systems, and while we were at it, we antique finished the hardwoods reminiscent of the 1940’s. We added wainscoting in the dining room and entry stair hallway to enhance the old-world look and added some arched openings to match other areas of the home. We also added custom moldings to the fireplace wall to allow it to shine as a focal point in the space, utilizing restored antique light fixtures. The finished result is stunning and truly honors the integrity of the original time period of this home.

Klopf Architecture and Outer space Landscape Architects designed a new warm, modern, open, indoor-outdoor home in Los Altos, California. Inspired by mid-century modern homes but looking for something completely new and custom, the owners, a couple with two children, bought an older ranch style home with the intention of replacing it.
Created on a grid, the house is designed to be at rest with differentiated spaces for activities; living, playing, cooking, dining and a piano space. The low-sloping gable roof over the great room brings a grand feeling to the space. The clerestory windows at the high sloping roof make the grand space light and airy.
Upon entering the house, an open atrium entry in the middle of the house provides light and nature to the great room. The Heath tile wall at the back of the atrium blocks direct view of the rear yard from the entry door for privacy.
The bedrooms, bathrooms, play room and the sitting room are under flat wing-like roofs that balance on either side of the low sloping gable roof of the main space. Large sliding glass panels and pocketing glass doors foster openness to the front and back yards. In the front there is a fenced-in play space connected to the play room, creating an indoor-outdoor play space that could change in use over the years. The play room can also be closed off from the great room with a large pocketing door. In the rear, everything opens up to a deck overlooking a pool where the family can come together outdoors.
Wood siding travels from exterior to interior, accentuating the indoor-outdoor nature of the house. Where the exterior siding doesn’t come inside, a palette of white oak floors, white walls, walnut cabinetry, and dark window frames ties all the spaces together to create a uniform feeling and flow throughout the house. The custom cabinetry matches the minimal joinery of the rest of the house, a trim-less, minimal appearance. Wood siding was mitered in the corners, including where siding meets the interior drywall. Wall materials were held up off the floor with a minimal reveal. This tight detailing gives a sense of cleanliness to the house.
The garage door of the house is completely flush and of the same material as the garage wall, de-emphasizing the garage door and making the street presentation of the house kinder to the neighborhood.
The house is akin to a custom, modern-day Eichler home in many ways. Inspired by mid-century modern homes with today’s materials, approaches, standards, and technologies. The goals were to create an indoor-outdoor home that was energy-efficient, light and flexible for young children to grow. This 3,000 square foot, 3 bedroom, 2.5 bathroom new house is located in Los Altos in the heart of the Silicon Valley.
Klopf Architecture Project Team: John Klopf, AIA, and Chuang-Ming Liu
Landscape Architect: Outer space Landscape Architects
Structural Engineer: ZFA Structural Engineers
Staging: Da Lusso Design
Photography ©2018 Mariko Reed
Location: Los Altos, CA
Year completed: 2017

Karuna Passive House designed by Holst Architecture and built by Hammer & Hand. This high performance home meets the world's most demanding green building certifications. Photo by Jeremy Bittermann.

Study room - contemporary built-in desk dark wood floor study room idea in New York with blue walls

This new residence in Lincoln Park is designed for maximum efficiency of room-to-room layouts and floor-to-floor circulation. With an abundance of natural light, the main floor of kitchen-dining-living is set 10’ above street level and cantilevered out over the ground floor entry. This provides a comfortable separation from the busy activities below, while still connecting the home to the neighborhood.

Klopf Architecture and Outer space Landscape Architects designed a new warm, modern, open, indoor-outdoor home in Los Altos, California. Inspired by mid-century modern homes but looking for something completely new and custom, the owners, a couple with two children, bought an older ranch style home with the intention of replacing it.
Created on a grid, the house is designed to be at rest with differentiated spaces for activities; living, playing, cooking, dining and a piano space. The low-sloping gable roof over the great room brings a grand feeling to the space. The clerestory windows at the high sloping roof make the grand space light and airy.
Upon entering the house, an open atrium entry in the middle of the house provides light and nature to the great room. The Heath tile wall at the back of the atrium blocks direct view of the rear yard from the entry door for privacy.
The bedrooms, bathrooms, play room and the sitting room are under flat wing-like roofs that balance on either side of the low sloping gable roof of the main space. Large sliding glass panels and pocketing glass doors foster openness to the front and back yards. In the front there is a fenced-in play space connected to the play room, creating an indoor-outdoor play space that could change in use over the years. The play room can also be closed off from the great room with a large pocketing door. In the rear, everything opens up to a deck overlooking a pool where the family can come together outdoors.
Wood siding travels from exterior to interior, accentuating the indoor-outdoor nature of the house. Where the exterior siding doesn’t come inside, a palette of white oak floors, white walls, walnut cabinetry, and dark window frames ties all the spaces together to create a uniform feeling and flow throughout the house. The custom cabinetry matches the minimal joinery of the rest of the house, a trim-less, minimal appearance. Wood siding was mitered in the corners, including where siding meets the interior drywall. Wall materials were held up off the floor with a minimal reveal. This tight detailing gives a sense of cleanliness to the house.
The garage door of the house is completely flush and of the same material as the garage wall, de-emphasizing the garage door and making the street presentation of the house kinder to the neighborhood.
The house is akin to a custom, modern-day Eichler home in many ways. Inspired by mid-century modern homes with today’s materials, approaches, standards, and technologies. The goals were to create an indoor-outdoor home that was energy-efficient, light and flexible for young children to grow. This 3,000 square foot, 3 bedroom, 2.5 bathroom new house is located in Los Altos in the heart of the Silicon Valley.
Klopf Architecture Project Team: John Klopf, AIA, and Chuang-Ming Liu
Landscape Architect: Outer space Landscape Architects
Structural Engineer: ZFA Structural Engineers
Staging: Da Lusso Design
Photography ©2018 Mariko Reed
Location: Los Altos, CA
Year completed: 2017

Nestled along the base of the Snake River, this house in Jackson, WY, is surrounded by nature. Design emphasis has been placed on carefully located views to the Grand Tetons, Munger Mountain, Cody Peak and Josie’s Ridge. This modern take on a farmhouse features painted clapboard siding, raised seam metal roofing, and reclaimed stone walls. Designed for an active young family, the house has multi-functional rooms with spaces for entertaining, play and numerous connections to the outdoors.
Photography & Styling: Leslee Mitchell
Photography & Styling: Leslee Mitchell

Mike Dean
Inspiration for a small transitional courtyard concrete patio remodel in Other with a roof extension
Inspiration for a small transitional courtyard concrete patio remodel in Other with a roof extension

Designer: Allen Construction
General Contractor: Allen Construction
Photographer: Jim Bartsch Photography
1960s one-story glass exterior home idea in Los Angeles
1960s one-story glass exterior home idea in Los Angeles

Mike Dean
Alcove shower - small transitional master white tile and metal tile cork floor alcove shower idea in Other with flat-panel cabinets, light wood cabinets and gray walls
Alcove shower - small transitional master white tile and metal tile cork floor alcove shower idea in Other with flat-panel cabinets, light wood cabinets and gray walls

Mike Dean
Patio fountain - small transitional courtyard concrete patio fountain idea in Other with a roof extension
Patio fountain - small transitional courtyard concrete patio fountain idea in Other with a roof extension

Our client wanted a SIP built home and we incorporated this and many other energy and sustainability features into this home which was in the Sheboygan County Parade of Homes.
Named "The Green Balanced Home", this project was all about creating practical and stunning living spaces that combined with sound environmental building materials and methods. By showcasing an assortment of leading-edge- green technologies, the Green Balanced Home was the talk of the Parade that year. In cooperation with our client, our methodology was:
Start with the site:
1. Protected tree lines
2. Drought resistant vegetation
3. High proportion of natural, plantings versus higher maintenance lawn
4. Optimal home placement on lot for solar exposure
5. Narrower streets
Build a high thermal envelope:
1. R-10 Gold Guard laminated EPS foam under basement, garage, and patio.
2. R-10 Gold Guard laminated EPS foam around exterior foundation walls.
3. R-10 ESP foam "shirt" around foundation
4. R-24 Structural Insulated panels (SIPs) for exterior walls, including garage
5. Sprayed foam in basement box sills and attic separation walls
6. R-15 garage door
7. R-60 blown cellulose attic insulation
Add efficient heating, cooling, ventilation, and electric utilization elements:
1. High efficiency fireplace with auxiliary ducting
2. Pull-out exterior wood-loading drawer
3. Air-to-air heat pump
4. 95% efficient, ultra-quiet variable capacity furnace
5. 19 SEER air conditioner
6. Five zones with programmable thermostats
7. Heat reclamation from hot water usage
8. LED lighting
9. Skylights
10. Energy Star appliances
11. Prep for in-floor heating system
12. Prep for photovoltaic (PV) solar
13. Prep for solar hot water
Incorporate water conservation:
1. Rain water recapture for toilet flushing and irrigation
2. Motion activated hot water circulation system
3. Power flush toilets
4. Dual flush toilets
Create high indoor air quality:
1. HEPA and UV filters
2. Air-to-air exchanger
3. Ultra-quiet bathroom fans with moisture sensor activation
Integrate sustainable, efficient materials:
* Expanded polystyrene (ESP) foam that does not emit HCFC "greenhouse" gases
* Oriented strand board (OSB) based siding, trim, and shutters
* SIPs panels that contain ESP an OSB
* Carpeting pads made from recycled materials
* Stewardship-certified cabinet manufacturing
* Job site recycling and reduce waste with SIPs

Our client wanted a SIP built home and we incorporated this and many other energy and sustainability features into this home which was in the Sheboygan County Parade of Homes.
Named "The Green Balanced Home", this project was all about creating practical and stunning living spaces that combined with sound environmental building materials and methods. By showcasing an assortment of leading-edge- green technologies, the Green Balanced Home was the talk of the Parade that year. In cooperation with our client, our methodology was:
Start with the site:
1. Protected tree lines
2. Drought resistant vegetation
3. High proportion of natural, plantings versus higher maintenance lawn
4. Optimal home placement on lot for solar exposure
5. Narrower streets
Build a high thermal envelope:
1. R-10 Gold Guard laminated EPS foam under basement, garage, and patio.
2. R-10 Gold Guard laminated EPS foam around exterior foundation walls.
3. R-10 ESP foam "shirt" around foundation
4. R-24 Structural Insulated panels (SIPs) for exterior walls, including garage
5. Sprayed foam in basement box sills and attic separation walls
6. R-15 garage door
7. R-60 blown cellulose attic insulation
Add efficient heating, cooling, ventilation, and electric utilization elements:
1. High efficiency fireplace with auxiliary ducting
2. Pull-out exterior wood-loading drawer
3. Air-to-air heat pump
4. 95% efficient, ultra-quiet variable capacity furnace
5. 19 SEER air conditioner
6. Five zones with programmable thermostats
7. Heat reclamation from hot water usage
8. LED lighting
9. Skylights
10. Energy Star appliances
11. Prep for in-floor heating system
12. Prep for photovoltaic (PV) solar
13. Prep for solar hot water
Incorporate water conservation:
1. Rain water recapture for toilet flushing and irrigation
2. Motion activated hot water circulation system
3. Power flush toilets
4. Dual flush toilets
Create high indoor air quality:
1. HEPA and UV filters
2. Air-to-air exchanger
3. Ultra-quiet bathroom fans with moisture sensor activation
Integrate sustainable, efficient materials:
* Expanded polystyrene (ESP) foam that does not emit HCFC "greenhouse" gases
* Oriented strand board (OSB) based siding, trim, and shutters
* SIPs panels that contain ESP an OSB
* Carpeting pads made from recycled materials
* Stewardship-certified cabinet manufacturing
* Job site recycling and reduce waste with SIPs
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